The Smackdown video plays, and we’re brought into the arena. Michael Cole and JBL welcome us to the show.

Dean Ambrose chooses the stipulation for his SummerSlam match

Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring. Replays are shown of Ambrose defiling Seth Rollins’ briefcase during his Beat the Clock Challenge match against Heath Slater. Rollins was distracted and lost the match.

Ambrose says The Authority thought they held all the cards on Monday Night RAW. They thought they had the Beat the Clock Challenge in the bag with a foolproof Plan B, but The Authority has found out that you can’t plan for Dean Ambrose. Since he outsmarted “The Architect,” he gets to choose the stipulation for his match at SummerSlam against his friend and brother, Seth Rollins. He has had all week to think about this and has options. Ambrose pulls out a list and starts reading some things off. Many of them are lame, old WWE stipulations, like a Good Housekeeping Match or a Coal Miner’s Glove match. Ambrose also lists a JBL’s Hat on a Pole Match or a Loser Has To Wash Triple H’s Car Match, but he thinks Rollins already does that.

Seth Rollins’ music hits, and he comes out to the stage. Rollins tells Ambrose to cut the crap. The audience interrupts him with a “You Sold Out” chant, but he presses on. When they were in The Shield, Ambrose was the unstable one, and he was the brains of the operation. After Ambrose’s antics on Monday night, as much as it pains him, he has to give a little credit. Ambrose was pretty clever. It’s been a long week, so it’s time to cut to the chase. Ambrose knows what he wants to do, so let’s be done with it and name the stipulation.

Ambrose introduces Rollins as “Mr. Money in the Bank.” Ambrose mentions that the briefcase looks a little rough today, but Rollins tells him to shut up. The problem with Ambrose is that he likes to think with his heart instead of his head. Rollins says people may appreciate that, but that’ll only get him so far, and it sure as hell won’t beat him at SummerSlam. Rollins says if Ambrose used his head as much as his heart, he’d be able to figure out that the stipulation doesn’t matter because SummerSlam is the end for him.

Ambrose says this isn’t the case. Ambrose says Rollins is going get stuck in the middle of the ring with nowhere to run. If he tries to run, he’s going to run into a wall of bodies, the same bodies they built their reputations on. These are the same bodies they stacked one on top of the other. They made a lot of enemies together, and those enemies will make sure no one runs from this. These enemies will make sure they tear each other apart, and he promises they will. If you’re old school, you could call the match at SummerSlam a Lumberjack Match. It’s the end of the line for Rollins. Ambrose swears to god and promises that August 17 at SummerSlam will be the day Mr. Money in the Bank goes broke.

Rollins says he isn’t going anywhere because no matter what happens at SummerSlam, he still has the briefcase. Whether Ambrose likes it or not, that makes him the future of this company. The crowd boos that. Rollins says since they’re talking about the future, it’s time to talk about Ambrose’s future for tonight. Ambrose could pick the SummerSlam stipulation, but The Authority has allowed him to choose Ambrose’s opponent for tonight. Since Ambrose is always ready for a good fight, he picked someone who is so cold and merciless that they are capable of this. A replay is shown of Randy Orton viciously beating down Roman Reigns two weeks ago on Monday Night RAW. Rollins says Ambrose’s opponent for tonight will be Orton.

-Commercial Break-

RybAxel vs. Mark Henry and Big Show

Mark Henry will start the match against Curtis Axel. They circle the ring, and Axel applies a waistlock before crawling between Henry’s legs and laughing. Axel mocks him, so Henry charges him. Axel quickly gets out of the ring to protect himself. Henry talks with Big Show in the corner as Axel gets in the ring. Henry grabs Axel and clubs him down. Axel quickly gets to his corner and tags in Ryback. Ryback talks a little trash and tells him to hit him. They lock up, and Henry pushes him down. Big Show talks trash as Ryback pushes Henry. Henry pushes back and head-butts him a few times. Henry hits a shoulder thrust in the corner before sending him across the ring hard. Henry whips him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Henry is still able to catch him in a World’s Strongest Slam attempt, but Axel, who blind tagged in, clips the ankle. RybAxel double-teams Henry before Axel solely works on the leg. Ryback tags in, and he drops some knees on Henry. Ryback goes for a powerbomb, but Henry gives him a back body drop.

Big Show is tagged in, as is Axel. Big Show hits a pair of clotheslines before sending him to the corner for a running butt bump. Big Show follows up with a shoulder block before signaling for a Chokeslam. Ryback runs in, and Big Show whips him into Henry. Henry hits Ryback with the World’s Strongest Slam as Big Show holds Axel up with one hand before delivering a Chokeslam for the win.

Winners by Pinfall: Mark Henry and Big ShowMatch Rating: *

Dean Ambrose will face Randy Orton in tonight’s main event.

-Commercial Break-

Dolph Ziggler is backstage with Adam Rose, Eva Marie, and Rosa Mendes laughing at footage of Dean Ambrose wrecking Seth Rollins’ briefcase on RAW. Seth Rollins shows up behind him doing a big fake laugh. Rollins says it’s almost as funny as the laughing stock Ziggler’s career has become. Since they’re telling jokes, he has one for him: “What’s got terrible hair, a head the size of a hot air balloon, and is just begging for him to stomp their face into the mat tonight?” Ziggler says he would say Rollins, but it looks like someone already stomped his face into the mat. Ziggler didn’t recognize Rollins without his superhero getup. Who hasn’t wondered what Catwoman would look like if she did Crossfit all the time? Rollins says Triple H gave him the authority to pick Dean Ambrose’s opponent for the evening, so he probably wouldn’t mind if he picked his own opponent for the evening. Ziggler says that sounds like a challenge, and Rollins says he’s damn right it is. Ziggler says what he does to him out there won’t be funny.

Sin Cara is in the ring waiting for his opponent. Damien Sandow comes out dressed as a border patrol agent. Sandow says the exits are being guarded and reinforcements are on the way. Soon the masked illegal will be apprehended. For far too long, the borders of Texas have been plagued by officials that are incapable of doing the job the country has entrusted them to do. You can just look into the arena to see the failure. Sin Cara has had his fun and made his money, but now it’s time for him and everyone in the arena to go back across the Rio Grande.

Sin Cara vs. Damien Sandow

They lock up, but Sandow quickly knees him before clubbing him down. Sandow punches away at him before dropping some knees. Sandow hits the Cubito Aequet for a one count. Sandow applies a chin lock, but Cara fights up and hits a jawbreaker. Cara punches him before hitting a springboard flying head-butt. Cara hits a clothesline before hitting a springboard cross-body. Cara ducks a clothesline and hits a head-scissor takeover. Cara has a whip reversed, but he comes back with a handspring back elbow. Sandow quickly comes back with a sit-out falling slam, but Cara kicks out. Sandow applies a full nelson, but Cara hits an arm drag. Cara connects with an Angle Slam before hitting the Falling Star for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Sin CaraMatch Rating: 1/2 *

Dolph Ziggler will face Seth Rollins later tonight. We’ll take a look at the Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena hype video from RAW, next.

-Commercial Break-

The hype video from RAW for the main event of SummerSlam featuring sit-down interviews with Brock Lesnar and John Cena is shown.

We’ll take a look at the contract signing for Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella at SummerSlam later tonight.

Dolph Ziggler makes his way to the ring. He’ll be in action, next.

-Commercial Break-

Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins

They lock up, and Rollins backs him to the corner. Rollins rakes the face before throwing him across the ring by his hair. Rollins stomps him before hitting a hangman on the top rope. Rollins kicks him before applying a chin lock. Ziggler fights up and elbows out, but Rollins kicks him down and begins the Three Amigos. Rollins finishes it off for a two count. Rollins chokes him on the rope before hitting a snapmare and a chin lock. Ziggler fights up and hits a jawbreaker. Ziggler ducks a clothesline and hits a pair of dropkicks. Ziggler goes for a famouser, but Rollins sidesteps him and throws him out of the ring.

-Commercial Break-

We come back from the break to see Ziggler punching away at Rollins before sending him into the ropes. Ziggler lowers his head and eats a kick, taking him down. Rollins drops a knee for a two count. Rollins yells at the referee over the count. Rollins rubs Ziggler’s face into the mat before kicking him. Rollins goes outside and attacks him as he hangs over the apron. Rollins then hits a running kick to the head. Rollins gets back in the ring and kicks him around a bit. Rollins then grinds his foot into his face before slapping his head. Ziggler tries to punch him, but Rollins avoids it. Rollins sends him into the ropes and hits a back elbow for a near fall. Rollins goes back to the chin lock, but Ziggler fights up and backs him to the corner. Rollins keeps the hold applied, so Ziggler slams him into the corner again.

Ziggler sidesteps an avalanche and hits a pair of right hands. Ziggler hits the ropes and hits a flying clothesline. Ziggler splashes him in the corner and hits some rapid punches in the corner. Ziggler connects with a neckbreaker for a two count. Ziggler hits a back suplex for another two count. Ziggler blocks a punch, and Rollins blocks his. Rollins goes for a back suplex, but Ziggler turns on the way down and splashes him for a two count. Rollins then sidesteps a splash in the corner. Rollins goes for a suplex, but Ziggler counters into an inside cradle for a near fall. Rollins punches away at him before kneeing him down. Rollins hits the ropes, and Ziggler counters him with a spike DDT for a near fall.

Rollins hangs on to the ropes to counter a Zig-Zag. Rollins tries to roll Ziggler up, but he kicks out and sends him to the apron. Rollins snaps Ziggler off the top rope and waits for him to get up. Ziggler avoids a springboard Curb Stomp and hits the famouser for a near fall. Ziggler grabs him by the hair and clubs away at him. The referee backs him up, and Rollins kicks him in the knee. Rollins then sends him shoulder first into the ring post. Rollins goes outside the ring and retrieves him. Rollins sends him into the barricade and asks Ziggler what is funny now. Rollins picks him up by the hair and drives him into the steel steps. Rollins slides him into the ring and begins to size up his prey. Rollins talks some trash before hitting the Curb Stomp for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Seth RollinsMatch Rating: * 3/4

Renee Young is backstage with Randy Orton. Renee says he’ll finally get his opportunity to face Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, however he has to face Dean Ambrose tonight. She asks how he feels about that. Orton says Ambrose is unstable, but he’s uncontrollable. There’s no telling what he’ll do. He doesn’t even know. One thing is for sure. Tonight, Ambrose will find out first hand that the truly sadistic superstar of the WWE is him.

-Commercial Break-

Natalya vs. Paige

Paige skips down to the ring for her entrance. A replay is shown of Paige pushing AJ Lee off the stage last week on Smackdown.

Paige wants a handshake, but she then shoves Natalya instead. Paige slaps her in the face, and Natalya slaps her back. Natalya hits a discus clothesline before hitting a double-arm suplex. Natalya applies the Sharpshooter, but Paige claws to the bottom rope. Natalya tries to bring her to the middle of the ring, but Paige grabs the ring skirt. Paige rolls out of the ring to recover. Natalya goes to grab her, but Paige surprises her with a nice Paige Turner on the floor! Paige gets in the ring and waits for the count-out, but Natalya rolls back in. Natalya surprises her with a roll up, but Paige kicks out. Paige quickly kicks her in the face before applying the PTO for the win.

Winner by Submission: PaigeMatch Rating: *

After looking so violent during the match, Paige smiles at the sound of the bell and skips around the ring.

Dean Ambrose will face Randy Orton in tonight’s main event.

Rusev is seen walking with Lana backstage. He’ll be in action, next.

-Commercial Break-

Big E vs. Rusev w/ Lana

Rusev kicks and punches Big E. Big E comes back with some right hands, but Rusev soon punches back. Rusev puts him in the corner and kicks away at him. Rusev takes him down with a straight right hand before talking some trash. Rusev stomps him before charging into a very awkward spot. Big E was supposed to hit him with a back elbow, but remembered at the last second. They repeated the spot correctly, and Big E hit the ropes to hit an avalanche. Big E hits a belly-to-belly side suplex before (sort of) missing a big splash. Rusev hits a thrust kick to the chest before screaming at the crowd. Lana orders Rusev to crush him. Rusev stomps the spine before applying the Accolade for the win.

Winner by Submission: RusevMatch Rating: 1/4 *

Lana puts the Hero of the Russian Federation Medal around Rusev’s neck as a giant flag of the Russian Federation unfurls above the ring.

Todd Phillips is backstage with Chris Jericho. Jericho is asked about Harper and Rowan being banned from ringside. Jericho says the symptoms are banned from ringside, but the disease that is Bray Wyatt will still be there. Jericho says he has the whole WWE Universe in his hands. He won’t follow the buzzards. He’ll shove them down his throat. At SummerSlam, they’re going to get crazy.

We’ll take a look at the contract signing from RAW for Brie Bella vs. Stephanie McMahon, next.

-Commercial Break-

A video recaps the events from the contract signing on Monday Night RAW. Stephanie attacked the Bella Twins after it was signed and gave them both Pedigrees.

Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring. He’ll be in action against Randy Orton, next.

-Commercial Break-

Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton

They circle the ring, and Orton kicks him before wrenching the injured shoulder. Ambrose puts him in the corner and punches away at him. Orton rolls out of the ring to recover. Orton gets back in the ring, and they lock up. Ambrose hits a headlock takeover, but Orton gets out with a head-scissor. Ambrose twists out and rips at his ear. Ambrose clubs him and rips at the ear again. Ambrose stomps the spine before hitting a snap suplex. Ambrose hits a quick elbow drop for a two count. Ambrose applies a double-arm chin lock, but Orton fights up and hits a snapmare. Orton kicks him in the chest for a two count. Ambrose gets in the corner, and Orton stomps the ankle. Orton chokes him in the corner before backing up. Ambrose then sweeps the legs and punches away at him. Ambrose then clotheslines him out of the ring before hitting a plancha.

-Commercial Break-

We come back from the break to see Ambrose trapped in an arm bar. During the commercial break, Orton gave Ambrose a back suplex on the commentary table. Orton whips him into the corner sternum first for a two count. Orton slams the arm off the mat a few times before stomping the injured shoulder. Orton punches him in the corner before head-butting. Orton chokes him on the top rope before wrapping his arm around it. Ambrose tries to punch back, but Orton simply wrenches the arm to stop him. Orton kicks him in the shoulder for a one count. Orton goes back to the arm bar, and Ambrose taunts him by telling him to put some pressure on it. Ambrose laughs as he fights up. Ambrose head-butts out, but Orton kicks him and sends him into the ropes. Ambrose counters back with a DDT.

Ambrose hits some right hands before hitting the ropes, ducking a clothesline and hitting one of his own. Ambrose hits a second clothesline before countering a whip with a running cross-body. Ambrose punches him before hitting a shoulder thrust in the corner. Ambrose has a whip to the opposite corner reversed, but he hits Orton with a back elbow. Ambrose connects with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Ambrose goes for Dirty Deeds, but Orton pushes him off. Orton charges, but Ambrose pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring. Ambrose goes for the suicide dive, but Orton punches him in the face. Orton rips him out of the ring and slams him off the steel steps. Orton whips him into the steps before sending him into the other pair. Orton bounces him off the apron before bringing him back to the apron for a hanging DDT attempt, but Ambrose counters by hitting a back body drop out of the ring. Ambrose then takes him out with a suicide dive!

Ambrose throws him into the ring. Orton kicks him in the face, but he bounces off the ropes and hits a clothesline. Seth Rollins comes to the ring apron and distracts him. Ambrose punches him off the apron and catches Orton with Dirty Deeds. Rollins pulls Ambrose out of the ring and punches him.

Winner by Disqualification: Dean AmbroseMatch Rating: **

Rollins punches away at Ambrose before bouncing him off the steel steps. Rollins sends him into the barricade before kicking away at him. Ambrose reverses a whip into the barricade and hits a short-arm clothesline. Ambrose puts him in the ring and sweeps the feet. Ambrose punches away at him before getting up and eating a clothesline from Orton. Orton hits an RKO for good measure. Rollins continues to punch away at Ambrose before leaving the ring. Rollins throws JBL’s hat to the side before taking a soda from a fan. Rollins talks some trash before pouring the liquid contents all over Ambrose’s head. Rollins continues to talk trash as he slaps him. Rollins says it will be the end for Ambrose at SummerSlam before hitting him with a Curb Stomp. Rollins taunts the fans as the show comes to an end.

* I enjoyed the opening promo with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, however I’m extremely disappointed with the stipulation choice for SummerSlam. This is a match I’ve been dying to see, and I just feel like the Lumberjack aspect is going to dilute it a bit. I personally cannot remember seeing one decent Lumberjack match in WWE, let alone anywhere else. If you’ve seen one, by all means, e-mail me. These guys are pretty creative, so I’m sure they can pull something good out of it, but I don’t think it will be as good as it could have been. Still, even though the stipulation choice was a head scratcher, it was still a fun opener. I really got a kick out of Ambrose mentioning some of the obscure stipulations from wrestling’s past.

* It always seems like whenever they run out of ideas on what to do with the Big Show, they just form a new tag team for him. Big Show has probably been Tag Team Champion with a dozen different guys at this point. Mark Henry went from that red-hot feud with John Cena heading into last year’s Money in the Bank PPV and all the momentum he had the preceded that to the Mark Henry we all knew circa 2002-2010. I don’t think these guys are going to go anywhere in the tag division. It’s too athletic for them, but I guess it’s better than putting Big Show in a major singles feud. We’re all still recovering from Big Show vs. Randy Orton at Survivor Series last year.

* I wasn’t really feeling Damien Sandow’s attempt at comedy tonight. The border patrol thing is so cliché in that area, even the crowd wasn’t booing too loudly. I like what Sandow does sometimes, but this just didn’t do it for me.

* I liked the Dolph Ziggler/Seth Rollins match. Those two guys can really go (obviously), and they put on a fun little show. Rollins was the clear winner here, as he should be. He looked ruthless and dangerous. After losing to Heath Slater on RAW, even though it was through heavy distractions, he kind of had to come back and save face on Smackdown.

* I really liked the aggressiveness I saw from Paige in her match against Natalya. Paige has been fantastic since making the heel turn. She seems very comfortable with a well-defined roll. I thought she was a terrible character as a face. She seems like she’s in her element now. This was some really great stuff and should make for a much better match at SummerSlam than the Battleground match was.

* Rusev and Big E had an absolutely atrocious match. It’s kind of amazing how they could execute like five moves and botch two of them. Big E seems like he’s given up. He’s not living up to the expectations people had for him and it seems like he’s feeling it.

* I really enjoyed the match between Randy Orton and Dean Ambrose. These two generally match up pretty well together, and this was pretty good. It’s so easy to like Ambrose. He’s a fighter with a great character. I really enjoyed the post-match beating as well. Ambrose always shows fight, but is soon overmatched. I got a kick out of watching Rollins pour the drink from the fan on Ambrose’s head. It reminded me of the story from Mick Foley’s book where someone threw a cup of pee at him when he was on the indy scene. Hopefully this fan didn’t have to go to the bathroom.